The Children's House of Belsen

Hetty's family was torn apart following the German invasion of the Netherlands. Rounded up by the Nazis and then separated from their parents, Hetty and her brothers were sent to the Children's House, within Belsen concentration camp. As one of the eldest, Hetty became the 'Little Mother', helping to care for not only her siblings, but the other children as well.In a direct and powerful style, Hetty recalls one of the remarkable, largely untold stories of the Holocaust - the extraordinary struggle and survival of this group of children through those terrible years.

Born Survivors

Among millions of Holocaust victims sent to Auschwitz II-Birkenau in 1944, Priska, Rachel and Anka each passed through its infamous gates with a secret. Strangers to each other, they were newly pregnant and facing an uncertain fate without their husbands. Alone, scared and with so many loved ones already lost to the Nazis, these young women were privately determined to hold on to all they had left: their lives and those of their unborn babies.

Auschwitz: A Doctor's Eyewitness Account

When the Nazis invaded Hungary in 1944, they sent virtually the entire Jewish population to Auschwitz. A Jew and a medical doctor, the prisoner Dr. Miklos Nyiszli was spared death for a grimmer fate: to perform "scientific research" on his fellow inmates under the supervision of the man who became known as the infamous "Angel of Death" - Dr. Josef Mengele. Nyiszli was named Mengele's personal research pathologist. In that capacity he also served as physician to the Sonderkommando, the Jewish prisoners who worked exclusively in the crematoriums and were routinely executed after four months.

The Nazi Officer's Wife: How One Jewish Woman Survived the Holocaust

Edith Hahn was an outspoken young woman in Vienna when the Gestapo forced her into a ghetto and then into a slave labor camp. When she returned home months later, she knew she would become a hunted woman, so she went underground.

The 23rd Psalm: A Holocaust Memoir

In September, 1939, George Lucius Salton's boyhood in Tyczyn, Poland, was shattered by escalating violence and terror under German occupation. His father, a lawyer, was forbidden to work, but 11-year-old George dug potatoes, split wood, and resourcefully helped his family. They suffered hunger and deprivation, a forced march to the Rzeszow ghetto, then eternal separation when 14-year-old George and his brother were left behind to labor in work camps while their parents were deported in boxcars to die in Belzec. For the next three years, George slaved and barely survived in 10 concentration camps.

Our Crime Was Being Jewish: Hundreds of Holocaust Survivors Tell Their Stories

Our Crime Was Being Jewish contains 576 vivid memories of 358 Holocaust survivors. These are the true, insider stories of victims, told in their own words. They include the experiences of teenagers who saw their parents and siblings sent to the gas chambers; of starving children beaten for trying to steal a morsel of food; of people who saw their friends commit suicide to save themselves from the daily agony they endured.

The Private Lives of the Tudors: Uncovering the Secrets of Britain's Greatest Dynasty

The Tudor monarchs were constantly surrounded by an army of attendants, courtiers and ministers. Even in their most private moments, they were accompanied by a servant specifically appointed for the task. A groom of the stool would stand patiently by as Henry VIII performed his daily purges, and when Elizabeth I retired for the evening, one of her female servants would sleep at the end of her bed. These attendants knew the truth behind the glamorous exterior.

I Shall Live: Surviving the Holocaust Against All Odds

I Shall Live tells the gripping true story of a Jewish family in Germany and Russia as the Nazi party gained power in Germany. When Henry Orenstein and his siblings ended up in a series of concentrations camps, Orenstein's bravery and quick thinking help him to save himself and his brothers from execution by playing a role in the greatest hoax ever pulled on the upper echelons of Nazi command. Orenstein's lucid prose recreates this horrific time in history and his constant struggle for survival as the Nazis move him and his brothers through five concentration camps.

My Brother's Voice: How a Young Hungarian Boy Survived the Holocaust: A True Story

Stephen 'Pista' Nasser was 13 years old when the Nazis whisked him and his family away from their home in Hungary to Auschwitz. His memories of that terrifying experience are still vivid, and his love for his brother Andris still brings a husky tone to his voice when he remembers the terrible ordeal they endured together. Stephen's account of the Holocaust, told in the refreshingly direct and optimistic language of a young boy, will help every listener to understand that the Holocaust was real.

Diary of a Young Girl

In Amsterdam, in the summer of 1942, the Nazis forced teenager Anne Frank and her family into hiding. For over two years, they, another family and a German dentist lived in a 'secret annexe', fearing discovery. All that time, Anne kept a diary.An intimate record of tension and struggle, adolescence and confinement, anger and heartbreak, Anne Frank's diary is one of those unique documents, famed throughout the world.It portrays innocence and humanity, suffering and survival in the starkest and most moving terms.

All But My Life

A classic of Holocaust literature, Gerda Weissmann Klein's celebrated memoir tells the moving story of a young woman's 3 frightful years as a slave laborer of the Nazis and her miraculous liberation. All But My Life stands as the ultimate lesson in humanity, hope, and friendship.

Violated: A shocking and harrowing survival story from the notorious Rotherham abuse scandal

The shocking first true account from one of the young girls who lived through and survived the Rotherham sex abuse scandal. In the summer of 2014, the Rotherham sex abuse scandal sent shockwaves through the nation. A report revealed that since the 1990s, up to 1,400 young girls in the town had been regularly abused by sex gangs, predominantly comprised of Pakistani men.

Fred and Rose: The Full Story of Fred and Rose West and the Gloucester House of Horrors

The true crime bestseller about Fred and Rose West a couple virtually unique in British criminal history - who loved and killed together as husband and wife. During their long relationship the Wests murdered a series of young women, burying the remains of nine victims under their home at 25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, including those of their teenage daughter, Heather.

If This Is a Man / The Truce

In If This Is a Man Primo Levi describes his deportation to Poland and his 20 months in Auschwitz. In The Truce he describes his long journey to Italy at the end of the war through Russia and Central Europe. 'What has survived in Levi's writing isn't just his memory of the unbearable, but also... his delight in what made the world exquisite to him. He was himself a magically endearing man, the most delicately forceful enchanter I've ever known.' (Philip Roth)

The Diary of Samuel Pepys: The BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation

Kris Marshall and Katherine Jakeways star as Mr & Mrs Pepys in this BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of the world famous diaries. Samuel Pepys was 26 when he decided to start keeping a diary, in January 1660. For the next 10 years he faithfully recorded the day's events and confessed his innermost thoughts. That diary has since become one of our most important, and fascinating, historical documents. Pepys gave us eyewitness accounts of some of the great events of the 17th century, including the Great Fire of London and the Second Dutch War.

In 1941, newlyweds William and Rosalie Schiff are forcibly separated and sent on their individual odysseys through a surreal maze of hate. Terror in the Krakow ghetto, sadistic SS death games, cruel human medical experiments, eyewitness accounts of brutal murders of men, women, children, and even infants, and the menace of rape in occupied Poland make William & Rosalie an unusually explicit view of the chaos that World War II unleashed on the Jewish people.

Out of the Depths: The Story of a Child of Buchenwald Who Returned Home at Last

Israel Meir Lau, one of the youngest survivors of Buchenwald, was just eight years old when the camp was liberated in 1945. Descended from a 1,000-year unbroken chain of rabbis, he grew up to become Chief Rabbi of Israel--and like many of the great rabbis, Lau is a master storyteller. Out of the Depths is his harrowing, miraculous, and inspiring account of life in one of the Nazis' deadliest concentration camps, and how he managed to survive against all possible odds.

The Marble Collector

A forgotten childhood. A discovered life. The poignant new best-seller from Cecelia Ahern. What if you only had one day to find out who you really were? When Sabrina Boggs stumbles upon a mysterious collection of her father's possessions, she discovers a truth where she never knew there was a lie. The familiar man she grew up with is suddenly a stranger to her. An unexpected break in her monotonous daily routine leaves her just one day to unlock the secrets of the man she thought she knew.

Auschwitz

Many books have been written about German horror camps where, from 1939 until 1945, human beings were subjected to degrading experiences, or were destroyed like swarms of helpless insects. Every publisher in the USA has been offered at least one hair-raising diary, and the flow of these human stories will probably continue for many years to come. It would seem to be a sign of mass psychosis.

The Man Who Broke into Auschwitz: A True Story of World War II

Here is the extraordinary true story of a British soldier who marched willingly into Buna-Monowitz, the concentration camp known as Auschwitz III. In the summer of 1944, Denis Avey was being held in a POW labour camp, E715, near Auschwitz III. He had heard of the brutality meted out to the prisoners there and he was determined to witness what he could. He hatched a plan to swap places with a Jewish inmate and smuggled himself into his sector of the camp.

The Second World War

A magisterial, single volume history of the greatest conflict the world has ever known, by our foremost military historian. The Second World War began in August 1939 on the edge of Manchuria and ended there exactly six years later with the Soviet invasion of northern China. The war in Europe appeared completely divorced from the war in the Pacific and China, and yet events on opposite sides of the world had profound effects.

Wild Swans

Few books have had such an impact as Wild Swans: a popular best seller and a critically acclaimed history of China that opened up the country to the world. Through the story of three generations of women in her own family - the grandmother given to the warlord as a concubine, the Communist mother, and the daughter herself - Jung Chang reveals the epic history of China's 20th century. Breathtaking in its scope, unforgettable in its descriptions, this is a masterpiece that is extraordinary in every way.

The Girl You Left Behind

France, 1916. Sophie Lefevre is ordered to serve the German officers who socialise in her hotel. When the new Kommandant sets eyes on Sophie's portrait - painted by her husband Edouard - a dangerous obsession is born. Almost a century later, Sophie's portrait hangs in the home of Liv Halston. A chance encounter reveals the painting's true worth - and its troubled history that is about to resurface and turn Liv's life upside down...

Evil Women: Deadly Women Whose Crimes Knew No Limits

Among the 34 cases covered are: Pamela Smart, a volunteer at a high school drug awareness program who urged her 15-year-old lover and his friends to kill her husband; Nancy Kissel, an expat American in Hong Kong who served her investment banker husband a strawberry milkshake laced with drugs then clubbed him to death with a statue; and Celeste Beard whose husband was disemboweled by her lesbian lover.

Publisher's Summary

"I do not hate. To hate is to let Hitler win." - Rena Kornreich Gelissen.

On March 26, 1942, the first mass transport of Jews - 999 young women - arrived in Auschwitz. Among them was Rena Kornreich, the 716th woman numbered in camp. A few days later, her sister Danka arrives and so begins a trial of love and courage that will last three years and 41 days, from the beginning Auschwitz death camp to the end of the war.

Rena's Promise stands out from other memoirs not only for the mere length of time she spent in the camps (no other survivor from the first transport has ever written about her experience) but for her dedication to honoring the bonds between mothers, daughters, and sisters, prisoners, and even guards. From her escape from Dr. Mengele's experiment detail to her surreal meetings with SS woman Irma Grese, Rena tells a dynamic tale of courage and compassion that reminds us of the resiliency of the human spirit, and the power of people to help one another in unimaginable circumstances, be they Gentile or Jew, German or Pole, kapo or prisoner.

The story is very inspiring if you can endure the reader. I think the author recorded it at home on her personal computer without any guidance and it shows. Her vocal inflections are forced and annoying. I would love to hear this story performed by a professional with some experience!

The recording of this audio book is awful the narrator has self edited and recorded over her recording, the audio jumps and repeats itself which is annoying. All through the book there is back ground noise and a bell and it turns out it is the narrators cat! Unbelievable. The story was the only thing that kept me going as I would have requested a refund because the audio quality was so bad. An amazing story of human strength and courage in the face of adversity. Thank you for sharing your story Rena.

The story is important and worthy of a listen but the performance is awful. Apart from the accent and the style of the reader, it is as if she has recorded it at home. You can hear whirring and noises in the background and this is abrasive. A real disappointment.

You could fairly say I am addicted to Holocaust survival stories. I never tire hearing about people’s challenges and how they overcame the worst possible odds – it’s an amazing testament to human resilience. Always impressive.

The production value of this audio book however is the pits! It’s as if it was recorded in 3 different rooms, and then spliced together to make one audio file. The sound is jumpy, the volume is inconsistent, I even thought the narrator had changed on occasion… it did the subject matter a huge disservice as the cuts were so jarring and distracting.

I wish there was a way to rate this other then lumping it in with “performance” in Audible’s star rating system because this is not a critique of the narrator. Overall, it was great content, just a terrible assembly.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Brianna Marie Keller

06/10/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Amazing"

I love this book. I chose this memoir for my college Holocaust history corse research paper. It's incredible what those girls had to go through and they still used their agency to live happy successful lives. It's also wonderful how it brings to life the actual people who were sent to these camps, how they were just that. People. not statistics or numbers but actual people who were cast down by their society because of their religion. It's devastating what happened to those people and it should never be forgotten. I believe everyone should read this book. If we don't educate ourselves on subjects like this, if we act ignorant or disassociate ourselves with these people then mass genocide will continue. I also very much appreciate the authors not at the very end about her cat. It brought a smile to my face :)

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Kristy rieman

Delaware

02/12/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"I have listened to many. this one is the best"

I loved this book, I couldn't turn it off. it was Heartbreaking, yet inspiring. Best in this genre

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Kindle Customer

Franktown, CO, United States

19/05/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great Holocaust Story"

Would you try another book from Rena Kornreich Gelissen and Heather Dune Macadam and/or Heather Dune Macadam?

Only if they fix the volume on the recording--this went up and down through the whole story.

What other book might you compare Rena's Promise to and why?

War and Rememberance--each book tells a different side to the Holocaust Also this book reminded me a lot of the Hiding Place

Which character – as performed by Heather Dune Macadam – was your favorite?

Rena

Do you think Rena's Promise needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

yes I think it would be good to follow through the story

Any additional comments?

the only reason I gave this book a low rating in the overall category was the volume was not adjustable on the book..sometimes it was low and then other times it was too loud

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Frosty

24/03/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Amazing story!"

Absolutely remarkable story! This was such an engaging story. Did not want to take a break from listening. Narrator did an excellent job.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Jewel Story Walton

bountiful utah usa

08/02/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Good story, god aweful narration"

Oh I wish they would have sprung for a professional narrator. The authors voice and her impression of a polish accent is enough to make your ears bleed. Is was practically unlistenable. And the way the author insinuates herself into the importance of this story is enough to make you wretch. Really horrible performance. If there is ever a book on knitting or casserole making, the author maybe could read that outloud to her stupid cat. But that's about all I would grant her.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

Kenneth M. McIntyre

02/11/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Holocaust Memoir Overshadowed by Poor Organization"

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes; although hard to follow this book shows how the love, mutual commitment, and wit of two sisters helped them to survive years in a concentration camp.

Would you recommend Rena's Promise to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, see above.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes

Was Rena's Promise worth the listening time?

Well … yes. The biography is compelling although I am not likely to re-read it because the book's organization between the past and present makes it too difficult to follow. It could have benefitted from another round of editing before it went to print.

Any additional comments?

The substance of the book would make a good movie.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

B Rose

Ivins, UT USA

29/10/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great story of sisters"

Would you listen to Rena's Promise again? Why?

No

What did you like best about this story?

The way the sisters stayed together always.

Did Heather Dune Macadam do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Not my favorite. I didn't like her voice because it didn't vary much and wasn't very convincing.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No because I've listened to several. The narrator took away from the story, thus the emotions.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

S. Blackburn

USA

11/09/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Narration very bad, but nice story"

What disappointed you about Rena's Promise?

The narration was awful! Author narrated and it sounds like she is sitting in her kitchen. Strange decision that will, unfortunately, cost the author money and future readers.

Would you be willing to try another book from Rena Kornreich Gelissen and Heather Dune Macadam ? Why or why not?

No. While their writing is commendable, choices for narration are not.

What didn’t you like about Heather Dune Macadam’s performance?

Very unprofessional. It is disappointing because she made Rena sound very whiny and a little spoiled - which is ridiculous. Rena is the heroine and the narrator's interpretation of her voice ruined it.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The actual story (i.e. what happened to Rena and others) is nice.

Any additional comments?

No

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Jillian

09/05/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Loved!!"

Who was your favorite character and why?

I Loved Rena. Her story was amazing and I can not believe just how strong she was and how much she cared for her family and friends!

What about Heather Dune Macadam’s performance did you like?

I thought she did a great job, and I enjoyed the way she sounded

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I loved the book, i felt as though I was attached to the characters and thought the story was real and a true of what it was like in the camps. I also really enjoyed the facts they provided which just proved how real the story really was!

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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